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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23138788">streak of lightning</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SenjuMizusaya/pseuds/SenjuMizusaya'>SenjuMizusaya</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Angst, Bisexual Nishinoya Yuu, Explicit Sexual Content, F/F, F/M, Female Nishinoya Yuu, Fluff, Friendship, Lust, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Omega Nishinoya Yuu, Omega Verse, Pining, Protectiveness, Reverse Harem, Rivalry, Romance, Scenting, Sexual Tension, Smut, Volleyball, inter school relations are a No No for lil Noya, you know the stuff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 08:53:53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Underage</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,924</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23138788</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SenjuMizusaya/pseuds/SenjuMizusaya</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>She’s small and fast and sharp, cutting toward the ball like a spear through the air: that was probably why she’d been bumped up to playing on the boys’ team, omega girl or not. </p><p>Honestly, Nishinoya Yuu didn’t care for details and just wanted to play volleyball. </p><p>But it seemed others wanted different things.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Akaashi Keiji/Nishinoya Yuu, Azumane Asahi/Sugawara Koushi, Bokuto Koutarou/Nishinoya Yuu, Hinata Shouyou/Nishinoya Yuu, Iwaizumi Hajime/Nishinoya Yuu, Kageyama Tobio/Nishinoya Yuu, Kuroo Tetsurou/Nishinoya Yuu, Miya Atsumu/Nishinoya Yuu, Nishinoya Yuu/Oikawa Tooru, Nishinoya Yuu/Shimizu Kiyoko, Nishinoya Yuu/Tsukishima Kei, Nishinoya Yuu/Ushijima Wakatoshi, Nishinoya Yuu/Yachi Hitoka, Takeda Ittetsu/Ukai Keishin, Tanaka Ryuunosuke/Yamamoto Taketora</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>172</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Beginning</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I don't own Haikyuu!!</p>
    </blockquote><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Noya-chan's back, huh?</p><p>(HUH?)</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I never knew I needed this until I glimpsed a fem!Nishinoya tag one fateful day. Now this has happened and I'm failing at being fully regretful for it. Clearly I'm in need of women being awesome in sports anime. </p><p>Apologies in advance: the beginning of the chapter is rather jumpy. </p><p>(At first this was meant to be porn with plot, but there's not enough smut for it to be porn so...)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>"Hey," the guy said, "so, ah, I was thinking-"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Maybe don’t think," she advised perkily before bounding past, leaving the random volleyball player -maybe a year older, tall, alpha- who’d gathered the courage to approach her in the dust. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>It had been a while since anything like this had happened: ever since taking on the habit of slipping into Asahi’s or Ryuu's jerseys (the former was sweet enough not to protest, the latter actively encouraged it) the scent of alpha rubbed all over had deterred most, although it slipped through that she was still technically unmarked. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>(The official jargon was 'unclaimed', but frankly she didn’t think she’d allow anybody to ever truly claim her so she preferred saying marked instead, which was the limit of possessiveness she could handle.) </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Oi, wait up!" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The handful of black-clad young men paused, the tallest turning around and holding out her own black Karasuno jersey: she'd taken Asahi’s yet left hers behind, meaning it'd been an honest mistake and not her usual theft. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The young woman, hair a short dark hickory with bleached bangs and jersey hilariously oversized on her small frame, cackled and simply bounded past, jumping through the doorway and into the light: "I made it out first!"</em>
</p><p>.</p><p>"You scraped by a lucky win against Aoba Johsai, huh?" </p><p>It went quiet. </p><p>The girl who'd appeared in the doorway was pale and petite, brown eyes large and slanted and brimming with a teasing kind of merriment. Her hair was dark and messy, jutting around her ears like a sprite or wood nymph would wear it, though a pluck of her bangs were bleached and had something more steampunk about it. There were bruises discoloring her elbows and shins like violet blotches, the kind attained through roughhousing. She wore gym clothes and seemed familiar with yellow and blue ball spinning upon one finger: perhaps she was a member of the female volleyball team?</p><p>It took Hinata a moment to process her words, because her shorts were very short (oh, he'd never laid the connection between the two words before) and there was something about her muscled thighs which was oddly distracting, and even though her scent was the kind of spicy usually attributed to alphas she was undoubtedly omega. </p><p>But- </p><p><em>Aoba Johsai. </em>Which meant Oikawa and the fact that had he come in earlier, they probably would've lost. </p><p>He cringed, Kageyama shooting her a deluxe glare she didn't even seem to notice. </p><p>Her grin widened even further, making her eyes squint into slits as she addressed Sawamura: "Ne, Daichi-san! These four ickle little firsties are much quieter than you told me! So small and adorable."</p><p>Her teeth were bared into a grin as she threw the ball away into a cart. </p><p>The captain's shoulders heaved into a single shrug, looking exasperated which had chills running down Hinata's spine. It was funny she described the quartet of new members as small and adorable, seeing as the girl in question was easily the shortest of them all, and that waist was so breakable, so small and sudden, she needed to wear supporting braces or something as to not snap in half when throwing herself forward to receive a ball, and... </p><p>Hinata couldn't really remember what had spurred that train of thought, but that mattered little when Sawamura answered: "I see you haven't changed. First years, this is Nishinoya Yuu. Nishinoya, these are the new members-"</p><p><em>Wait</em>.</p><p>"Yes yes yes," she tittered, jumping from one foot to the other as though she were weightless, "your new little kiddos who're so busy staring at me their eyes might pop out of their sockets. Gee, you'd think they'd know how to treat their senpai! Rude, huh?"</p><p>"<em>You're</em> the Guardian Deity?" Yamaguchi asked very relevantly, and Hinata remembered he was meant to swallow the saliva pooling in his mouth.</p><p>Nishinoya thought about it for a moment, looking quite pleased, "hmm, I quite like the idea of being a goddess. <em>Ryuu</em>! You hear that! THAT KID'S PRETTY ON SPOT HUH, HUH-"</p><p>She'd turned around very abruptly, short brown hair giving her additional height as it was quite fluffy, but Tanaka was still far taller and wider and stronger and those large hands reached out toward that dramatic little waist and Hinata's instincts went into overdrive because she was going to die and what if they were mates but no she was unclaimed- </p><p>Instead she dived to the side, her laughter loud and boisterous, tackling Tanaka in return.</p><p>Tsukishima -the bastard- put words on what was arguably the most important realization of the day: "<em>That</em> is our libero?" </p><p>.</p><p>It was one of the first years who asked, the shortest of the bunch with the lively expressions and messy tangles of tangerine hair, his nose delicately upturned and slim of build. He looked younger than his age, still all elbows and knees. </p><p>"Why I came to Karasuno, huh?" </p><p>Sure, the little ginger had made Asahi rejoin the team by coaxing him to attend that one practice which ended up being the practice game against the Neighborhood  Association and Yuu was indefinitely grateful for that, but what really made her gush an answer was the fact that he'd adoringly called her Nishinoya-senpai. </p><p>Too cute. </p><p>(His name was something like Shouichi, right? No, <em>Shouyou</em>.) </p><p>Talking to the dainty first year meant Koushi would probably end up cleaning her section of the floor, so the brunette leaned against her mop and grinned right into Shouyou's wide-eyed face. Breathing through the mouth instead of the nose had become standard to her, meaning the usually distracting alpha scent was barely discernible.</p><p>"I guess because it's not as traditional as some others. Y’know, where the captain is always the alpha male and all that! Oh but wait, have you seen the men's uniform? I mean, you gotta admit that a black gakuran looks pretty neat, huh! And for girls it's easy to shorten the skirts. I mean, knee-length is so stupid 'cause I look <em>way</em> better with mid-thighs." </p><p>Shouyou's face went a little red, the angel. "A-ah-"</p><p>"And it's close to home."</p><p>This time he found it easier to nod and say: "Ah." </p><p>"Yeah," she agreed with a bob of the head, "so how about you? Why'd you come to Karasuno? Huh?" </p><p>She might've cut him him off a little due to her disjointed way of speaking, but the newbie caught on quick enough. "I want to be just like the Little Giant, he went here a few years back!" </p><p>Short but determined. </p><p>"Really?" Yuu beamed, laughter spilling from her lips, "that's great, Shouyou, go for it!" </p><p>His breath hitched when she called him by his first name -cute- and for a moment it seemed he didn't know where to look: also cute up until it wasn't because he gave her this disbelieving stare like he couldn't phantom she was right there in all her... sweaty glory.</p><p>Obviously she was glorious, but out of all the times to gawk, did it have to be at her post-practice damp flush? </p><p>"You know what would also be great?" Daichi called from the other side of court, "if the two of you would stop slacking off!" </p><p>The kid instantly started mopping the floor as though his life depended on it, throwing her a last furtive glance over the line of his shoulder. His eyes were a warm, caramel brown color, intense yet soft and... </p><p>Huh, on her waist again.</p><p>Better than on her butt, which was where most alphas looked. </p><p>"Nishinoya, sweep!" </p><p>"Yes, Daichi-kun!" </p><p>While Yuu mopped the lacquered floor to the point where she could spy her own reflection at her feet, she thought Karasuno really was the only place she'd ever want to be. Other schools would fuss far more about having an omega girl on the boy's volleyball team, even if said girl had already been on a male team during junior high, and other schools probably wouldn't have alpha-beta relationships (Asahi and Koushi were her OTP and she'd strangle anybody who disagreed) and most certainly not a beta as captain, and perhaps not even an alpha girl as manager. </p><p>No. </p><p>Karasuno wasn't tethered by conventions like that. </p><p>Karasuno could fly above that.</p><p>Like crows, they'd soar high and mighty in the skies with their black feathers rustling and- </p><p>"Nishinoya!" </p><p>"Sorry!" </p><p>As she resumed mopping the last sections of the floor, she heard a pair of snickers behind her. A glance to her left told her it was the two other first years, not the awed Shouyou or glaring and grumbling Kageyama Tobio, but the tall blond with glasses and his freckled friend whose sound was, on second thought, more of a chuckle. </p><p>Yuu shot them a Look. </p><p>Yamaguchi Tadeshi cleared his throat and looked very interested in the net he was folding, but the bespectacled one simply shot a smirk which looked like a cut across his face before resuming his own mopping.</p><p>Briefly, she breathed in through her nose: yep, Tsukishima Kei was an alpha. As though the way he carried himself hadn't given that away already. How typical. Out of the four first years there were three alphas. The odds for that were practically nonexistent, even somebody like her who'd flunked maths last year knew that. </p><p>Six percent of the population were omegas. Eleven were alphas. The remaining eighty-three percent were betas. </p><p>Until now the only alphas on the Karasuno volleyball team had been Shimizu Kiyoko, Tanaka Ryuunosuke and Azumane Asahi (though the ace in question seemed terrified of the fact more often than not), but now that was very different. Their numbers had doubled. </p><p>Her exhale was a sharp burst, nose twitching once. No use thinking about that. What mattered was volleyball and that was that, it was a thrumming heartbeat echoing her own and pulsing through her veins. </p><p>"Ne, Kiyoko-chan," Yuu piped up after having placed her mop neatly next to Asahi's (and there'd been a broken one there, too, tucked into a corner but never thrown away, and when she'd picked the pieces up she'd noticed they smelled vaguely like Koushi), "how's the search for a future manager going?" </p><p>She knew Daichi was listening in, and Ryuu was probably within earshot as well since he was always within vicinity of the lovely manager, and Shouyou’s curious gaze flashed between them with the painfully obvious intent of figuring out what their relationship was. </p><p>"No," answered the slender raven, pushing her wickedly glinting glasses further up the bridge of her nose, "I'm afraid not."</p><p>"Naw, that's too bad!" Yuu exclaimed, clapping her calloused hands together, "guess we'll have to mobilize the ickle firsties if you haven't got any by summer! Huh?" </p><p>"I suppose," Kiyoko answered, dark eyes attentive, a vast difference compared to how their relationship had been last year, "would you like for me to go with you to the bus station?" </p><p>For a moment, she was torn. On one hand, she'd be walked (one quarter) home by a very lovely lady who Yuu had grown significantly closer to during her week of suspension, and on top of that she was an alpha. Yuu may be averse to blindly following traditions, but she couldn't possibly deny how easily attracted to alphas she was. (There was a reason she rarely used her nose.) On the other hand, she was meant to walk with Ryuu and Asahi who both seemed to think fireflies would kidnap her the moment they looked away, and though they'd both be fine with a change of plans (Ryuu considered Kiyoko's words and verdicts to be holy while Asahi wouldn't impose for such a matter), it was still a promise. </p><p>"Thanks, I'll be fine," she assured in the end, hand flashing up in a v-sign in front of one glittering eye, "no need to wait for me, you can go on home and get that beauty sleep, huh! Not that you'd need it, you're lovely, absolutely stunning really. Yeah..."</p><p>Kiyoko blinked once, but Yuu still fancied her lips had twitched into a smile for a moment. </p><p>"Have a nice evening," the manager spoke, "see you tomorrow."</p><p>"Yes!"</p><p>Kiyoko left, slender hips swaying as she descended the two steps down from the gym. Then she disappeared into the spring evening. </p><p>"She's so beautiful," Ryuu breathed, coming to stand next to the short young woman, "I swear, I die just a little every day and it actually feels so good." </p><p>"There's something wrong about that statement," Asahi murmured, standing to her other side, tall and older with long hair and gentle eyes. "Really."</p><p>"Eh?" Ryuu's eyebrows shot into his almost nonexistent hairline, "you've never had to love Kiyoko-san, you're lucky and so unlucky at the same time!"</p><p>The brunette considered it, words solemn as Koushi's voice filled the gym in the background when the vice-captain explained something to Tadeshi. "I feel lucky."</p><p>Yuu's heart went all porous, and when she cooed her face twisted up so much that her eyes crinkled shut: "NAWWW! You guys are just- AGHH, so cute!"</p><p>Eventually -once they'd gathered their things and gotten changed, which Yuu had to do in the basketball club's room next door, something said club had no idea about and only occasionally wondered why the smell of melon deodorant was so difficult to erase- they headed home. It was dark outside, the April evening chill nipping at her cheeks. </p><p>She pulled her jersey closer around herself, face upturned to admire the stars. "They're so beautiful! Ahhh, I wish I could just jump up there and steal some for myself! Wouldn't you guys, huh?" </p><p>"I quite like them where they are," Asahi confessed, peering up at the twinkling lights in the dark skies through his lashes, "that way I can always see them again." </p><p>"I see them in Kiyoko-san's eyes every day!" Ryuu exclaimed, waving his fists around in some bastardization of a fist-pump. An image of Kiyoko's midnight eyes, twinkling for once, swam into Yuu's head like a mirage. She sighed blissfully. </p><p>"Mmm..." </p><p>"I just realized," Ryuu spoke up, hands deep in his pockets, "why'd she ask if you wanted her to accompany you? You stealin' my girl?" </p><p>"Not your girl," Asahi reminded gently. </p><p>"Uh-huh!" Yuu grinned wide, wider, throwing her arms up and skipping down the road. Then she let go of all brakes with a shriek of joy: "IMMA FLYING!" </p><p>"W-wait up!" Ryuu called out, bolting after her, "<em>wait up </em>you little<em> punk</em> there might be <em>strangers</em> at the bus stop and I'm <em>not</em> gonna let you <em>die</em> before you tell me <em>how</em> you seduced Kiyoko-san!" </p><p>With a groan, Asahi started running as well, not wanting to be left behind. "You guys...." </p><p>"WAIT UP!" </p><p>"CAN'T HEAR YOU!"</p><p>Eventually, face suffused with red and still grinning, Yuu had to skid to a halt since she'd reached the bus stop. Within two seconds, Ryuu caught up and hoisted her into the air. Peals of laughter escape her, rough and rich and not omega-like at all, and she pretended to try snagging the stars. Arms outstretched. Grasping. </p><p>"Tell me how you got Kiyoko-san's attention," the wing-spiker demanded, still holding the libero up like a scene from the lion king. Abruptly her lips tugged downwards. The comparison, even though she'd made it herself, was infuriating: she was so small and he was.... not. </p><p>"Put me down." </p><p>"Not until-"</p><p>"I mean it," Yuu murmured, grabbing ahold of his wrist, face vacuumed of emotion. His good-natured smirk was washed away when meeting her dark brown eyes, and after a moment he set her back down. </p><p>She smoothed out any wrinkles from her black jersey, a foreign movement. Asahi caught up, having jogged since hearing all about the get-the-manager tricks wasn't something he was too eager about. His brows rose when there was no amiable squabbling or rambunctious laughter. </p><p>Yuu pretended to be searching for the bus, staring down the road. Wishing she were a better actress. </p><p>Wishing she could actually keep secrets about herself. </p><p>Of course, none of those two happened. </p><p>Within a minute of painfully awkward fidgeting and shifting from all three unusually silent parties, she burst out: "I went into heat during my week of suspension and she helped me out."</p><p>Asahi, ever helpful, said: "Well, at least the timing means you didn't miss even more school." </p><p>Ryuu, ever direct, screeched: "HOW AM I MEANT TO DEAL WITH THIS? Kiyoko-san is into omegas which is- FUCK! And you weren't kidnapped by some lecherous alpha and are still free- YES! How is this my life?" </p><p>She faced the stars again.</p><p>"You know, I think I already have two of those stars." </p><p>.</p><p>Yuu was starting to think her ego could potentially get to her head. <em>Potentially</em> being a very important word. She knew she was pretty awesome -a volleyball prodigy, pretty enough, cool personality, bestest friend on earth, the usual- but still. Maybe she should've thought at least a little about what having another three alphas on the team would mean. Kageyama Tobio, the terrifyingly good setter and grouch, was against all odds the least problematic. </p><p>(Of course, she'd deny ever having problems with any teammate until her dying breath. And even then.) </p><p>Tsukishima Kei was a pack of icy glares and poisonous smiles and deadpan blankness. Even he was manageable. </p><p>Hinata Shouyou was a ray of sunshine and the best junior she'd have ever wished for. </p><p>Huh, but... her brain had cataloged a problem, it'd located something to be off, it'd been trying to tell her something... </p><p>No, it must've been nothing. </p><p>"Rolling thunder!"</p><p>Intercepting the ball, she stopped Chikara's spike. </p><p>"So cool!" Shouyou fawned. </p><p>Yuu barked a laugh, giving him a thumbs up. "Yesh, I know, huh!"</p><p>"Uh-huh," he nodded vigorously, dancing on the balls of his feet, "could you teach me how to receive, Nishinoya-senpai?" </p><p>"Sure," she agreed, jumping up to her feet as his part-awed part-anxious look melted into one of utter bliss and excitement. </p><p>While she showed him how to best draw out the power of the thighs (he was very distracted when she talked about her admittedly damn fine thighs), she pretended not to notice Tsukishima's distant, evaluating gaze. </p><p>Naturally, her pretense lasted only a total of five seconds before she whirled around: "You got a problem, huh!?" </p><p>He smirked, looking down on her very, very literally considering he was more than a fair bit taller, and then went back to practicing with Kageyama. Yuu kind of wished he was ugly, but of course, he remained stupidly handsome and fair. </p><p>"He's so infuriating," Shouyou grumbled, cradling the blue and yellow ball to his chest, chin jutting out. "He calls me shrimp!" </p><p>Yuu considered it. "Shrimps are kind of yummy, though. And cute! I mean, have you seen how they swim, huh? It's so funny!" </p><p>"That," the ginger started, fumbling for words with steadily darkening cheeks, "isn't- I mean- it's not my point." </p><p>She patted him on his shoulder, hand tingling when feeling the warmth through his shirt. "Don't worry 'bout others, mkay?" </p><p>"But-" </p><p>"Senpai's advise."</p><p>He smiled again with crinkling eyes, nodding as though his life depended on it. </p><p>A fuzzy kind of feeling coiled tightly inside, and Yuu abruptly went back to practicing with a harsh shake of her head. </p><p>.</p><p>She felt sorry for him before he'd even opened his mouth. </p><p>"Would-" started the alpha, a poor soul who'd probably gotten plenty of pep talks from his friends (as in, lots of nudges, lots of snickers, lots of hollers, all to boost his pre-existing alpha ego) and worked up the courage to ask her out. </p><p>Despite the alpha scents constantly smeared across her. </p><p>Despite the fact that she was openly <em>not</em> looking for a relationship. </p><p>Despite the fact that they'd never talked before. </p><p>Still, Yuu had to give him credit for giving it a shot. That was why she didn't outright deck him, even if she was sure she could've looked very awesome doing so by using some sort of reverse receive. Instead she blinked once, lashes fluttering, and then droned: "No." </p><p>She brushed past him. </p><p>In the background, Ryuu was finishing the job with a lot of commotion and ruckus. </p><p>.</p><p>Volleyball was life. </p><p>Volleyball was freedom. </p><p>Volleyball was what mattered, where she was herself, where she mattered. </p><p>The rest was kind of just... there. </p><p>She enjoyed looking good but didn't make much of an effort. She scraped by at school and actively made an effort not to make an effort. She'd used to enjoy wooing Kiyoko as a pastime, but lately hadn't made an effort for that either. </p><p>Yuu made an effort for volleyball, though: always. Constantly. </p><p>Friendship was a close second. Romance was utterly unimportant. Finding a mate was absurd. Doing anything other than appreciating certain alphas from a distance was pointless: any more and they'd be properly distracting. </p><p>What had happened last heat had been... a glitch. </p><p>Yes, a glitch. So far, ever since the first one which she'd had during her second year at junior high, she'd spent them alone. So why had she spent it with Kiyoko? Lovely, breathtaking, desirable and strong alpha Kiyoko? </p><p>Why had Yuu let herself do that? </p><p>Now the mere idea of spending a heat alone felt unbearable, hollow, some sort of blasted omega instinct having been tickled and therefore properly awakened. She'd always been inconveniently affected by alphas but had gotten used to it, had started breathing through her mouth instead by default to escape their tantalizing scent. Before, she'd never felt the need to properly revel in their presence, to bask and inhale. Now, it was a constant longing, a yearning which would settle deep inside during the most inconvenient of times.</p><p>Yuu wasn't sure what to make of it. </p><p>.</p><p>"Why is it," Ryuu started, eyeing her through narrowed eyes in the early morning light from where he stood in the doorway, "that you have new bruises every time I see you?" </p><p>"Huh?" Yuu thought about it, racking her mind which had just been rudely shaken from its concentration, "uh... oh yeah! I've been trying to get better at receiving balls which have been blocked! Already started while I was banned, but it just wasn't the same, you know!" </p><p>"Such a hard worked," he laughed, reaching out to mess up her already unruly hair. She caught his hand, however, with a playful scowl marring her features. Asahi and Koushi observed the two. </p><p>"Don't suppose you'd like to help?" Koushi asked, holding up a volleyball. "It would-" </p><p>"Sure thing!" </p><p>Soon, Yuu found herself with bruising knees and elbows despite the protective padding she wore. She got the ball up less than half of the time after it'd been hit down by a blocker: she suspected playing two on two made it even more difficult for her, but still. Frustration was like white hot iron in her veins, scorching its way through her limbs. </p><p>Large eyes followed the ball. Watched Asahi's form when he spiked it. Estimated even as her body had kicked into action. Stayed on the ball as her limbs moved just like she wanted them to, twisted and threw themselves in just the right way. </p><p>The moment before the ball hit her inner arms, she knew it was a good one. </p><p>It went up, right toward Ryuu, who spiked it over the net. The ball was intercepted by Koushi yet bounced off his shoulder, going out over bounds. The ash-haired young man didn't quite curse, but whatever he'd muttered under his breath was clearly his equivalent of it. </p><p>"Hey," she started, taking a few steps closer to her friend who'd prepared to serve, "listen, there's one thing... like-" </p><p>"What?" Ryuu asked, blinking at her uncharacteristically hesitant demeanor. "Wassup?" </p><p>"Um, you know," she shrugged, "friend codes. And stuff. Huh, like... sorry?" </p><p>"What?" This time he was properly bewildered. "What are you on about? Did something happen? <em>Do I have to kill somebody?</em> HAS SOMEBODY ASKED FOR A CASTRATION BY-" </p><p>"No, no- jeesh!" Yuu snapped, hands on her hips, "I was just gonna apologize for sleeping with the alpha you love but <em>never mind</em>!" </p><p>"'Course you don't," he laughed right into her face, and in a flash he'd grabbed her by the waist and flung her right up into the air with all his might. </p><p>"OHMYGO-" </p><p>Hinata appeared in the doorway of the gym and squawked at the sight of the airborne libero guffawing. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'm such genderbender shoujou trash. </p><p>Also, I figured Noya would be similar but not exactly the same. Hence the tic (is her 'huh' a tic?) and... everything else.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Twelve Years Old</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Noya-chan glances over her shoulder.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>At first this was meant to be fluff and smut and bamfs, but... angst and world-criticism has snuck in as well. </p><p>Sometimes it's so difficult to write a "dumb yet perceptive" character, since I often go for the intelligent (be it book smart or downright sly) types. And sometimes it just clicks.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Nishinoya Yuu remembered being twelve. </p><p>She'd never expected the results. Middle School had meant many things: new friends, new environment... as well as growing into one's second gender. She'd never spared much thought to it: these were modern times, things like being the strong and dominant alpha or the practical and sensible beta or the demure and soothing omega didn't matter much. </p><p>Allegedly. </p><p>"How many omegas do you see with important jobs?" </p><p>"The amount of alphas among CEOs is disproportionate." </p><p>"How often are betas assigned as leaders?" </p><p>Naturally, there were countless rational counters to this. <em>Omegas just don't want those jobs, they're the nurturing type, the family type. It's just that alphas are more charismatic and naturally more ambitious, they have that drive. Betas just aren't as driven as alphas, it's not like they actually want those jobs or would enjoy them. </em></p><p>
  <em>Of course they can do it if they want to, it's not like anything is stopping them. They just don't go for it. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>They just don't <strong>want</strong> to. </em>
</p><p>Yuu hadn't actually bestowed much thought on what she'd end up being. If she ever talked about it with friends, there'd be some shrugs and a lukewarm disagreement between alpha and beta: she was bold and outward and fit, but not a natural leader. She hadn't had any expectations. She hadn't even participated in any of those polls or taken those generic online <em>What ABO Are You? ;) Long Edition</em> which many classmates had drooled over. </p><p>But being informed of her omega status had still surprised her. It'd been unexpected, and she hadn't even had any expectations. (But apparently, she must've had some in the end.) </p><p>"I'm so jealous," one from her ever shifting clique of friends has moaned, "I wish I was that lucky!" </p><p>"Yeah," an other agreed, pouting at her beta status, "omegas are set for life!" </p><p>"You'll get to cruise along."</p><p>"There'll always be somebody there." </p><p>“You'll always be cared for and get an alpha by just looking at them.”</p><p>"It'll be like in those movies nii-chan watches when our parents are gone."</p><p>Yuu didn't feel lucky, didn't want to be set for life, didn't want to cruise along or have some alpha breathe down her neck or do what those omegas did in the movies where they started yelping and begging with breathy little voices and reddening cheeks and weak knees. Yuu wanted to play volleyball and laugh and have fun. </p><p>In the volleyball team she was congratulated as well, but of course there was that one not quite joking comment: <em>"Luckily you're only our backup libero- I mean, dynamically speaking having an omega wing spiker or something wouldn't work, amirite?"</em> </p><p>She'd punched the bench-warmer so hard her nose broke loud enough for her to feel the crunch in her very core, and promptly got herself suspended for a week. A bit of an over reaction, perhaps, but her entire day had been peppered with those <em>nudge-nudges</em> and that had been the final straw<em>. </em></p><p>Yuu remembered being twelve. </p><p>She remembered training hard, harder, extracting every drop of volleyball the school had to offer and creating a world for herself. The vice-captain herself had even been the one to make her the starter libero halfway her first year, but even so she could feel that there was more out there, that she could grow so much further, that she could be faster and sharper and more skilled. </p><p>"It's a one-day exception," the coach for the male team had laughed heartily when he allowed her to train with them, <em>once</em>, "maybe what the boys need is a pretty omega girl to impress." </p><p>She grabbed the opportunity with both hands and wrenched 'one-day exception' away from the coaches and as her third year at middle school came to pass, fourteen year old Nishinoya Yuu was the starter libero for Chidoriyama Junior High, and at the end of that final year she earned herself a trophy for exceptional performance. </p><p>.</p><p>"Hey, you- yeah, you with the pixie cut! You're a total babe!" </p><p>"True," Yuu nodded, walking on and continuing to read her light novel on her phone and ignoring the girls who were leering at her while she passed the bus station. She was meant to take the bus, but she had no intention of standing next to two ogling alphas for the coming ten minutes. </p><p>First lesson on Monday morning was only maths, anyway, so missing that class was fine. </p><p>.</p><p>"Takeda-sensei!" Yuu cried happily when he appeared in the doorway, "I'm so glad you're the one to supervise my detention! Usually it's Mubaka, and he's totally evil and against me." </p><p>The young teacher shot her what he probably thought was a reproachful look. "<em>Mubaki-san</em> is a good man, you shouldn't talk that way about him." </p><p>"But it's true," she defended valiantly, standing up straight to properly gesticulate, "he always gives me this glare and keeps on insulting me, like-" </p><p>"Maybe," Takeda interrupted carefully, taking a seat at the front desk, "it's because you keep getting detentions and he's the one who always has to stay late because of-" <em>you</em> "- this."</p><p>"Huh," she frowned, absently doodling to avoid meeting his brotherly gaze. "But he's still an old-fashioned coot." </p><p>The faculty advisor heaved such a deep sigh she almost expected his body to deflate completely. "Well, he has... I mean! You're meant to work." </p><p>Lips pursing, she went back to doodling, though she quickly stopped when realizing she'd started sketching a very much naked Kiyoko in her own bed, which was a <em>no</em>, and quickly erased it before that dangerous warmth could seep into her lower stomach at the memories. (<em>A high-pitched keen of "yes yes yesss don't stop oh haa right there mmm, yes yes YES AH, AHH"</em>-)</p><p>She shook her head, trying to focus on her work, only to realize she'd never even gotten the right books out in the first place. With a grumble, she conjured her history book from the bag slung over the back of her chair and tried to concentrate on whatever reasons and excuses all the different countries had to start the first world war. </p><p>She kind of understood the mutual arms race, but the spiderweb of alliances and connections managed to loose her and left her with a headache. She couldn't wait for the Golden Week training camp.</p><p>"Oh, huh, that's right!" Yuu perked up, twisting impossibly in her seat to bury her arms in her backpack and rummage, "I've got the permission slip for camp from my parents, forgot to hand it in this morning!" </p><p>"Maybe because you weren't here this morning," Takeda murmured, and she considered it.</p><p>"Yeah, probably!" </p><p>He shook his head, which she found odd since she'd pretty much nailed the reason for not handing it in and returned to her seat. She tried refocusing on her work, but energy had chased away any crumbs of concentration she possessed. </p><p>"Say say say, why'd you become our advisor, huh?" </p><p>Yuu had enough insight not to add '<em>for the alpha coaches or 'cause you look our age and wanna disprove Mubaka</em>', because Takeda would probably scold her. She didn't want to be scolded by Takeda again. He was so nice. </p><p>"Oh, well," he started, and she kept on smiling at him even when he averted his gaze. It could get awkward if she just stared at her desk, so him it was. Yuu didn't like awkward. She liked people. "It seemed like most others wouldn't take it too seriously, and somebody had to do it..." </p><p>He rubbed the back of his neck, bashful. </p><p>"Well, I think you're doing great," she beamed, "even if you think you don't know enough about volleyball." </p><p>He chuckled, tips of his ears going red. "Thank y-" </p><p>"And you did great getting us Coach Ukai!" </p><p>All of his ears went red now, as did his cheeks. "Thank you-" </p><p>"Like, that was totally amazing, I'd never have managed that! He must be really grateful now, huh? Even if he doesn't say it, you know!"</p><p>Most of his face was suffused with red, glasses glinting in the sunlight. "Y-you ought to work, Nishinoya." </p><p>Yuu considered it, found it very reasonable, and spent the remaining hour writing her paper. At least detention on Mondays meant no missed practices, since they started later to accommodate such things. </p><p>"You're free to go now," Takeda said with a mild smile, starting to pack his things. The short brunette was fairly certain he'd been grading homework, but in case she was wrong she wouldn't tell her her classmates. The girls could get nervous. </p><p>"Thank you for today," Yuu chirped, stuffing her books and pages into her bag. "Went by like a flash, huh!" </p><p>She'd been about to skip out of the door when he spoke up again, brow furrowed:</p><p>"How come you were late in the first place?" </p><p>Yuu smiled and didn’t think about the alphas at the bus stop. "I overslept." </p><p>.</p><p>"Have you read the article?" </p><p>People are talking in the corridors, the usual buzz between classes filling the air. There'd been a controversial article in the news that morning which some of the more easily outraged people were still talking about: something to do with workspace powerplay. </p><p>Somebody had been talking about it with Yuu and a few others that morning, when she'd rushed to class after practice. She was still a little flushed, an hour later. </p><p>That was the setting in which she almost got into trouble again: cheeks red, the mood around her just below bristling and her energy thrumming high since she'd stayed up a little too later yesterday watching an admittedly rather bad but ultimately satisfying movie and was now running on that special exhaustion-energy. </p><p>There was a slight, blonde omega girl clutching her notes in front of her like a shield. Her eyes were wide, shoulders hunched with discomfort, and there was a lanky alpha leaning over her with a smile. </p><p>Yuu's mood ran down the drain.<em> (She was twelve years old and told being an omega was to cruise along on the attention and desires of the alphas.) </em></p><p>She was small and sharp and fast and in a blink of an eye she'd reached him, kicked his feet from underneath him, let the omega girl disappear into the masses and then sauntered away herself. </p><p>Head held high.</p><p>.</p><p>"Nice one!" Ryuu grinned toothily before spiking the ball over the net. </p><p>"I'm getting better at saving the blocked balls, huh!" Yuu smirked back, sweaty and warm and alive. Shouyou gushed something in the background and Kageyama got ready to serve, and everything which mattered was volleyball.  </p><p>.</p><p><em>Who knows what you'll be</em>, twelve year old Yuu had grinned at Marin, a tad taller than her with longer legs and rounded sea blue eyes, <em>I really don't have a clue! </em></p><p>The right thing to tell her friend was to assure the spindly girl she'd be an omega, because that's what she wanted to be. But stopping to think, even for a moment, wasn't Yuu's forte. (Because stopping meant something might catch up, latch on, sink into her like-)</p><p><em>Yuu-chan,</em> Marin had cried dramatically, <em>don't say that!</em> </p><p>The other girls around them had started giggling and assured the strawberry blond she'd end up as an omega. Yuu's attention had strayed to a flock of birds flying above while they talked. </p><p>(She liked their feathers, their eyes. She'd have liked to be an owl in her next life, but owls were wise, they weren't... like her.) </p><p><em>Maybe an alpha</em>, Marin guessed later, looking at her slight friend with a blight smile and bright eyes, bringing Yuu out of her reveries. <em>You're so pack-oriented and <strong>you</strong></em>. </p><p>"That," Yuu sighed with a wry smile, leaning back in her cheap chair on the cafe terrace, a glass of mocha ice cream with copious amounts of whipped cream in front of her, "was five years ago, huh?" </p><p>The late afternoon sun whispered against her skin, the unusual warmth meaning she was taking a break after helping Marin find a dress for her older sister's wedding. Neither was used to the fancy shops they’d taken the bus a whole thirty minutes for to reach, but Yuu was fairly certain they'd done well. </p><p>(The shop assistant had looked satisfied, which was her cue.) </p><p>"Ah, that feels so long ago," Marin sighed, turning her face toward the sun, bag leaning her her long legs. She was still beautiful, ginger-golden hair and sea eyes and slender not-quite-curves. It was probably very easy to find jeans, because Yuu always struggled with that. </p><p>Cargo pants for life. </p><p>And joggings. </p><p>If she found something which sat nicely around the roundness of her hips the waist line would be far too large. </p><p>"I think I was a little stupid then," Yuu mused, "or at least I coulda been a better friend." </p><p>Marin shook her head, smiling shyly. "No, you were you and that's so, so much. I wish I'd just enjoyed the moment back then, too. Now everything is, um, kind of more complicated." </p><p>The petite athlete chuckled. "Yeah, guess so... Ah! I remember how these ice cream coupes used to be so huge, and now I can finish <em>two</em> whole if I'm hungry. Huh, so much time's passed."</p><p>"Raspberry is still the best, though," Marin smiled, and Yuu's slanted eyes opened wide with outrage. </p><p>"Caramel- no, black currant! Wait- ugh, just not rapsbrerry! I mean, <em>raspberry</em>." </p><p>Yuu threw her hands into the air and laughed loudly. Some other people on the terrace shot her looks, as did a group of teenagers in sports jerseys walking down the road, probably just finished with their practice. </p><p>"Anyway," Yuu addressed Marin, suddenly very invested in their halted conversation when realizing at least two in the group were alphas, "we should do this more often it's been too long. Seriously, huh!" </p><p>The other girl observed her for a moment, already kind face softening further. "Yes, I- I'd like that." </p><p>Sea blue eyes cast a furtive glance in the direction of the group on the other side of the street so that Yuu wouldn't have to check again. </p><p>"Two are coming," Marin murmured a warning before straightening with a soft smile and facing the young men (third years, obviously) who had now reached their table. "Hello." </p><p>Both were tall and built with very familiar muscle, evident even under their school uniform. Yuu kind of though their uniforms were ugly. But she also thought that about every uniform that wasn't Karasuno's, so she didn't dwell on that. One was a curly-haired beta with droopy eyes and fuzzy eyebrows, smiling very nicely at Marin (okay, no castration on sight, but he better watch himself). The other was a rather familiar, absurdly handsome alpha with immaculate chocolate hair, gleaming brown eyes and a curve to the lips which made Yuu's toes curl in her shoes. </p><p>(Holy fucking shit he smelled good thank god for ice cream because it was numbing her mouth and had almost given her a brain freeze thrice until now.) </p><p>(Her brain wasn't freezing now.) </p><p>(She just hoped it wouldn't fry.) </p><p>"...I'd have remembered somebody as pretty as you," he smiled, and she knew for certain she'd missed his first sentences already and that he'd  been speaking for a while. She racked her mind to remember. </p><p>"I go to school, like, twenty minutes with the bus away?" Yuu said, and his eyes crinkled. (She'd fucked up that sentence somehow, hadn't she?) </p><p>"Oh, so you're not just passing through!" </p><p>The other boy had struck up a conversation with Marin, who'd relaxed and looked comfortable. Yuu could feel the alpha's scent on her tongue, thick and warm like honey with a touch of lavender, and she had to blink to focus on his stupidly pretty face. </p><p>He had to go. </p><p>How on earth could other omegas like this effect? </p><p>"Huh, no," she said with a small smile which was nothing but a tug of the lips, "not passing through. Today's been a girls day." </p><p>Had she actually managed a subtle, friendly hint without being aware of it? Yuu told herself she had. </p><p>But of course the alpha just reached for a nearby empty chair and dragged it next to hers, where he then sat down. She could feel his body heat when his calf brushed against her shin. Her skin tingled. </p><p>Yuu shifted away to cross her ankles. </p><p>He proceeded to -in one go- introduce himself, talk about the importance of friendship and fit a chiming compliment into it all. His name was Oikawa Tooru (Tooru, wasn't that a girl's name?), he had a lot of friends but his best friend was kind of... (there were a few words here she hadn't registered since he'd nudged her, which, <em>boundaries</em>) and she looked great in white. </p><p>She wore a white cardigan. White seemed to be his school's color. </p><p>"Uh, thank you," she said, but then her eyes narrowed and her lips pursed. "Isn't there some volleyball player named Oikawa?"</p><p>He flashed her a smile. "So you've heard of me!" </p><p>He sat close enough for his scent to tickle her throat and the heady honey feel of him to start dripping into her lungs, warm and consuming and cloying. She was reacting far too much. And it wasn't even like she was getting close to a heat, because she'd had one only a month ago. </p><p>"You're- him, huh?" </p><p>"The one and only," Oikawa positively sparkled.</p><p>The fact that he was an enemy was like a bucket of ice water clearing her head. And if he was <em>that</em> Oikawa it meant he went to Aoba Johsai. </p><p>She scowled -which was not cute, Ryuu was just lying- and lifted her chin. "We'll beat you next time." </p><p>He laughed, eyes lidded. "Your school has a volleyball team, then?" </p><p>"Not just any," she fired back, eyes alight. "Wait and see!" </p><p>He laughed again, tilting his head and looking devastatingly pretty. "You're so invested- are you the manager? They're very lucky." </p><p>If he was a volleyball hotshot it meant he knew what went on in the volleyball world, meaning he'd have heard of Nishinoya. But his scent was still tingling along her veins and starting to settle in her stomach in a warm knot, and she didn't want to start a discussion wherein she'd loose sight of her brain halfway. </p><p>An other day. </p><p>When her instincts weren't frazzling for no reason. </p><p>"Yeah, I'm invested, huh," she said, sat up a little straighter. Forced her brain to clear itself and sharpen as though she'd only been to a friend's birthday party and was a little tipsy but now had to tell somebody that it was time to go home. "Actually, could you leave? I kind of really need a day alone with my friend." </p><p>He blinked. Yuu could feel Marin's gaze on her. </p><p>Oikawa had been about to say something, and Yuu liked thinking it'd have been an apology even if his smile should make her doubt it, but she'd never know. Because one of his teammates -tall with messy hair and flashing eyes- stalked toward them with a shout of: "Shittykawa! We've still got the meeting for tomorrow's game!" </p><p>His head twisted to face the approaching young man- she could tell he was alpha just by the way he walked. "Naww, Iwa-chan-" </p><p>"She's right, sorry," Marin was telling the guy she'd been talking to, "today's an overdue girl's day."</p><p>His teammate reached the table, face set into a scowl. "Let's go, the team's waiting." </p><p>The beta who'd been talking to her friend said: "I understand, don't sweat it." </p><p>Oikawa sighed dramatically, but stood up with rippling muscles and a twinkle in his eye nonetheless. He turned to Yuu with a charming grin. "I'll be seeing you around then, when we face your team." </p><p>Yuu's smile was all teeth with all kinds of heated feelings blistering deep within. "Yeah, you will." </p><p>His grin widened and a chuckle spilled from his lips- the sound making something pleasant shudder beneath her skin.</p><p>"Matsukawa, c'mon," the newcomer addressed the beta who was still getting to the goodbye-part of talking to Marin.</p><p>"Give me a second, Iwaizumi-san," Matsukawa soothed, then addressed the blue-eyed girl again, "it was nice meeting you." </p><p>"You too," Marin said. </p><p>Iwaizumi turned to the two girls, nodded rather curtly, avoided Yuu's (hopefully not openly grateful) gaze, and then stalked off. Oikawa ambled after him as though taking a stroll while Matsukawa walked exactly like a guy who'd been interrupted by his friend when talking to a pretty girl should be walking. </p><p>Yuu turned her attention back to the girl opposite her, pouting. "My ice cream is melting." </p><p>"It did that before already," Marin pointed out, "at least you'll get to make a slush of it? You always did as a kid." </p><p>"Huh? I did?" Yuu blinked, "no way. Really?"</p><p>Her friend nodded, contemplative, and they both dug in. Soon, Marin spoke up again: "How come you told him to go? He seemed really..."</p><p>"Nice, strong, handsome, alpha volleyball star captain?" Yuu filled in blankly, eating a spoonful of only whipped cream. It didn't taste as sweet as before. "I don't date people from enemy teams." </p><p>"You don't date people from your own team, either, though. And your type is totally a volleyball player." </p><p>The petite brunette started making the slush, maybe to reconnect to that pre-twelve-years-old feeling. Something churned inside: some of the heat sparked by having Oikawa close and then a second alpha marching up lingered, mixed with an odd sense of discomfort within, created something mildly nauseating. </p><p>For a moment, there was a lump in her throat and a tingle low in her stomach and a dizzy feeling in her head. </p><p>Then Yuu laughed brightly. "Oh really? Huh, whaddaya know!" </p><p>. </p><p>Nishinoya Yuu remembered being twelve. She hadn't had a care in the world and once she got the results that she was an omega (developing into one, really, because at twelve the first signs were only barely starting to show), she still didn't want to waste time caring about that. </p><p>Nishinoya Yuu remembered being fourteen. She trained so hard it was almost fighting and became Chidoriyama's best libero yet, on a team with guys who initially had <em>almost</em> frightened her (because alphas and expectations and she honestly didn't care for either) but she grew close to. </p><p>Nishinoya Yuu remembered being thirteen and fifteen, of having fun and eating ice cream and getting the ball up in the air and doing impossible saves. She remembered breezing past those who were more than passingly interested in her and befriending whoever she liked. She remembered finding the heats an inconvenience and the fuss about spending it with people a odd drama at school in certain (most) groups of students. She remembered the absolute ecstasy and joy when receiving the Best Libero Award. </p><p>Nishinoya Yuu remembered being sixteen and suspended and going into heat and Kiyoko and for a few days, all her old nonchalance about alphas and mates had flown out of the window because the manager had made her gasp and beg and keen and smile like she'd never smiled before, made her hold onto somebody else like she'd never done before. </p><p>Nishinoya Yuu remembered being twelve. <em>"Omegas are set for life."</em> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Yep, one OC here, sorry... I just figured she'd at least have some mentioned girl friend from her year? And if I write any OC I want them to be actual layered persons. </p><p>I'd meant to start writing about the Golden Week in here already, but that didn't happen... I guess we'll jump right into it next chapter^^</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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